This week, Japan's renowned Kadokawa (Oshi no Ko, Overlord) released a list of its ten most profitable franchises as part of its third-quarter financial report for the current fiscal year (which covers the months of October to December 2023). On the list, the "Oshi no Ko" franchise topped the company's sales.
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Oshi no Ko leads Kadokawa sales
Although Kadokawa collaborated as a producer (as part of the production committee, responsible for financing and distribution), it's important to note that "Oshi no Ko" is not an intellectual property of this company, but rather of Shueisha. Therefore, Kadokawa's profits from "Oshi no Ko" do not come from the sale of manga or similar products, yet it still ranked first in its internal rankings.
On the other hand, other franchises such as "The Eminence in Shadow," "Bungo Stray Dogs," "My Happy Marriage," and "Overlord" occupied prominent positions in the Top 5, respectively. Next on the list, in sixth place, is "Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World-"; followed by "Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation"; " KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World! "; "Sword Art Online" and "Bandorobou (バンどろぼう)".
In light blue, earnings from anime; in dark blue, income from print publications (manga, novels, etc.); in gray, earnings from video games and other media.
Unlike "Oshi no Ko," Kadokawa's "Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation" franchise has taken the top ranking in profits from print publications (i.e., sales of novels and manga) and has managed to quietly infiltrate Kadokawa's overall profit rankings, without taking into account the earnings from the anime adaptation.
Naturally, fans, including Oshi no Ko, were quick to comment:
- Definitely Oshi no Ko is incredible.
- I think Oshi no Ko will continue to expand into different media now that other companies know this information.
- Although the second season of Oshi no Ko doesn't have a release date yet, I assume they'll bet first on the already announced live-action.
- The power of Oshi no Ko is now undeniable, it can increase the profits even of companies that have nothing to do with it.
- I'm happy to see that Mushoku Tensei is at the top of the print publication earnings rankings.
- It's interesting to see that The Eminence in Shadow takes second place, while Mushoku Tensei drops to seventh.
- I just started reading Oshi no Ko. I thought it was a romantic comedy, but it turned out to be a story of reincarnation and mystery, which I find very interesting.
- The interactions and reactions of each character are very interesting, I completely understand why it was so successful.
- It's the effect of the opening. Even I, who haven't seen the anime, know the subject.
Synopsis
The story follows a doctor named Gorou , a fan of a 16-year-old idol named Ai Hoshino . One day, Hoshino shows up at his office, claiming she's pregnant with twins, but her manager tells her to abort the babies. The idol doesn't want to abort; she wants both children. So Gorou promises her a safe delivery. Little does he know that an encounter with a mysterious figure will result in his untimely death, or so he thought. However, upon opening his eyes in his beloved idol's arms, Gorou discovers he's been reborn as Aquamarine Hoshino , Ai's newborn son! With his world turned upside down, Gorou soon discovers that the world of showbiz is full of controversies, where talent doesn't always bring success.
Thus, Akasaka and Yokoyari started the manga in Shueisha 's Salto Jovem in 2020. Furthermore, the manga surpassed more than 9 million copies in circulation in May 2023.
Source: Kudasai
